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Description

This aerial photograph, produced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in August 1954, provides a detailed view of the San Diego River and Mission Bay at low tide, amid the construction of the Mission Bay Park project.

To the left of the bay lies Mission Beach, a residential and recreational neighborhood bordered by the Pacific Ocean. Just north of Mission Beach, the grid-like street pattern and beachfront properties of Pacific Beach are clearly visible. The southwestern edge of the photograph shows the beginning of the Point Loma Peninsula.

Central to the photograph is Mission Bay Park, shown in the midst of its transformation. The ongoing dredging and land reclamation projects are evident, shaping the future contours, inlets, and islands of what would become the largest man-made aquatic park in the United States. Fiesta Island appears as nothing more than natural marshland.

The eastern shore of Mission Bay, where SeaWorld San Diego would eventually be established, is also visible. Running along the eastern edge of the photo is Interstate 5 (I-5), a major highway that provides a reference point for the urban sprawl and connectivity of the region.

Condition Description
Large black and white photograph on card. Some creasing and minor tears at the edges.